The Commonwealth Fund
The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation based in two individual recipients Established in 1918 by Anna M. Harkness, it supports independent health care research and makes grants to improve health care practice and policy.
The Commonwealth Fund at a glance
In short: The Commonwealth Fund gave $31.3M across 534 grants in 2025 (avg $59K), top state District of Columbia. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $31,312,443
- +19.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 534
- -3.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $58,638
- +24.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $922,680,894
- +5.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (89 of 317, 2025)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (24% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Commonwealth Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Fund accepts letters of inquiry through its online grants portal on a rolling basis and also responds to unsolicited proposals. An LOI should describe the problem and purpose, target audience, project design and schedule, expected outcomes, estimated total cost and amount requested, and the organization’s staffing and financial resources. At this stage, a full budget and other supporting documents are not required; the project description should be no more than three pages. Applicants are typically advised of LOI results within six weeks, often sooner. If an LOI is a potential fit, program staff will discuss next steps in a collaborative proposal-development process. The Fund generally does not accept unsolicited requests from non-charities; it may make grants to non-charities for charitable purposes and exercises expenditure responsibility for those grants. Organizations should generally have tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status. The Fund does not support ongoing activities or existing deficits; endowment or capital costs; basic biomedical research; certain conferences, symposia, and major media projects unless they arise from its programs; individuals or scholarships outside its existing fellowship programs; or religious organizations unless the proposed project is entirely secular.
- Review Cycle
- Letters of inquiry are accepted on a rolling basis. Deadlines for RFP applications are stated in the relevant funding announcement; there are no open RFPs listed at this time.
- Deadline
- Letters of inquiry are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Contact
Application contact: Andrea Landes
Mailing address: One East 75Th Street, New York, NY 10021-2677
Phone: (212) 606-3800
Email: grants@cmwf.org
Website: https://commonwealthfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Commonwealth Fund
Who The Commonwealth Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Commonwealth Fund ($3.8M across 23 grants). Together the top 10 received $13.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
2,614 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,866 grants of 2,614 (71%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Fund’s 2025 grant dollars were distributed across recipient states, with 24% going to Washington, D.C., 21% to an individual recipient, 14% to Massachusetts, 9% to Pennsylvania, and 5% to California. Its stated international health policy program is designed to stimulate policy and practice learning in the United States and other industrialized countries.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 534 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Commonwealth Fund open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 89 of 317 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $127K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 117% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $22.3M (2021) to $31.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 534 grants totaling $31.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Commonwealth Fund New York, NY | Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice: Authorization for 2024-25 Class | $2,345,604 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College Cambridge, MA | The Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy at Harvard University, 2025-26 | $850,000 |
| SSRS Glen Mills, PA | International Health Policy Survey, 2025 | $800,456 |
| Georgetown University Washington, DC | Analysis of Policies Affecting Health Insurance Access, Affordability, Adequacy, and Equity in the Individual and Small-Group Markets, Year 14 | $639,482 |
| Rush University Medical Center Chicago, IL | Testing, Scaling, and Disseminating the Racial Equity in Healthcare Progress Report, Phase 2 | $638,814 |
| SSRS Glen Mills, PA | 2025 Health Care Affordability Research, Adults 19 to 64 | $560,000 |
| SSRS Glen Mills, PA | The Commonwealth Fund 2024 Biennial Health Insurance Survey | $514,781 |
| SSRS Glen Mills, PA | International Health Policy Survey, 2024 | $490,115 |
| Urban Institute Washington, DC | Modeling Policies That Could Expand and Improve Health Coverage and Affordability - or Roll Back Progress | $440,000 |
| Urban Institute Washington, DC | Analyzing Emerging Health Reform Proposals | $430,800 |
Ready to take the next step with The Commonwealth Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $922,680,894 | $39,838,343 | $51,961,087 | $31,312,443 | 534 | $50,785,477 | $36,644,134 | $43,263,709 |
| 2024 | $875,566,732 | $40,713,328 | $48,850,563 | $26,155,128 | 554 | $43,901,029 | $36,682,565 | $41,933,817 |
| 2023 | $864,829,934 | $22,299,026 | $52,394,916 | $28,618,322 | 533 | $47,000,796 | — | $42,756,924 |
| 2022 | $877,035,892 | $66,371,379 | $50,431,768 | $26,034,944 | 527 | $41,534,410 | $70,535,625 | $46,555,194 |
| 2021 | $998,032,247 | $69,444,117 | $46,234,066 | $22,278,036 | 466 | — | $50,420,413 | $41,160,467 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Commonwealth Fund reported a distributable amount of $43.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Fund’s mission is to promote a high-performing, equitable health care system that improves access, quality, and efficiency for everyone, especially society’s most vulnerable. Its stated program areas are Expanding Coverage and Access, Improving Care Delivery, Making Health Care Affordable, Achieving Equitable Outcomes, and Promoting International Learning and Exchange. Its coverage work includes health care coverage and access, Medicare, Medicaid, and tracking health system performance; its care work includes delivery system reform, health equity, and behavioral health.
The Fund supports research projects such as surveys, data analyses, and evaluations; policy projects; pilot studies and technical assistance; communications and media projects; and workshops and conferences that disseminate grantee work. It awards grants to health care-focused organizations. Examples of grantees include Harvard University, whose stated mission includes education and research across a broad range of academic domains; Rush University Medical Center, which says its mission is to improve health through patient care, education, research, and community partnerships; and AcademyHealth, which says it advances evidence to inform health policy and practice.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Fund made 534 grants totaling $31,312,443. Grants ranged from $75 to $2,345,604, with a median of $15,000. The Fund reports an average grant size of $178,699 and an average duration of 11 months during fiscal year 2024–25.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $2,345,604 to The Commonwealth Fund for authorization of the 2024–25 Harkness Fellowships class; $850,000 to President and Fellows of Harvard College for the Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy at Harvard University; $800,456 to SSRS for the 2025 International Health Policy Survey; and $639,482 to Georgetown University for analysis of policies affecting health insurance access, affordability, adequacy, and equity. Other grants included $638,814 to Rush University Medical Center for a racial equity in health care progress report project and $440,000 to the Urban Institute for modeling coverage and affordability policies.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Commonwealth Fund is led by Joseph Betancourt MD, President on every filing since 2023; 3 of 16 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joseph Betancourt MD
President
On filings since 2023
60 hrs/week
$446K (2023) → $776K (2025)
Margaret Hamburg MD
Chair
Director → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alan Jones
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carrie L Byington MD
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn D Haslanger
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Walker
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lois Quam
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maureen Bisognano
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mitchell J Blutt MD
Director
On filings since 2021
3.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Simon Stevens
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vivian S Lee MD MBA
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jaewon Ryu MD
Director
On filings since 2024
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julian Harris MD
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Regan
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2021
60 hrs/week
$500K (2021) → $514K (2025)
Melinda Abrams
Executive Vice President for Programs
On filings since 2021
60 hrs/week
$309K (2021) → $418K (2025)
Sheila P Burke
Vice Chair
Vice Chairman → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Mark D Smith MD (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Michael V Drake (2021–2024) — Chair · Filing note: Until 11/2023
- Former: David Blumenthal MD (2021–2023) — President
- Former: Elizabeth Fowler (2021) — Executive Vice President & Programs
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $776K, to Joseph Betancourt MD (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Commonwealth Fund
How much does The Commonwealth Fund give each year?
The Commonwealth Fund gave $31.3M across 534 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $26.2M across 554 grants.
What is The Commonwealth Fund's typical grant size?
The Commonwealth Fund's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $58,638, across 534 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Commonwealth Fund that year got $26K on average.
Where does The Commonwealth Fund give grants?
The Commonwealth Fund's top state is District of Columbia, with 24% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (21%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (114 grants), New York, NY (114 grants), Boston, MA (27 grants) and Cambridge, MA (24 grants).
Does The Commonwealth Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 37% of The Commonwealth Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (200 of 534) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Commonwealth Fund's largest grantees?
The Commonwealth Fund's largest 2025 grantees include The Commonwealth Fund ($3,790,429 across 23 grants), SSRS ($2,411,933 across 7 grants) and President and Fellows of Harvard College ($2,025,212 across 18 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Commonwealth Fund?
The Commonwealth Fund reported $922.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $50.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $43.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Commonwealth Fund fund?
The Fund’s mission is to promote a high-performing, equitable health care system that improves access, quality, and efficiency for everyone, especially society’s most vulnerable. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Commonwealth Fund?
The Fund accepts letters of inquiry through its online grants portal on a rolling basis and also responds to unsolicited proposals. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Commonwealth Fund's EIN?
The Commonwealth Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1635260. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Commonwealth Fund accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The Commonwealth Fund funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Commonwealth Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Commonwealth Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-commonwealth-fund-morg_134bd52417724545a46e1c4746c4d034
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_131635260_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Commonwealth Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-commonwealth-fund-morg_134bd52417724545a46e1c4746c4d034},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Commonwealth Fund's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Commonwealth Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?